Complete Artist’s Bio

My name is Svetlana “Lana” Shislovskaya Wynne and I was born in the Brest region of Belarus “White Russia” during the reign of communism. When I was growing up we had a small cottage in a little village with no running water and times were difficult. Under communistic rule people could not trust each other causing a very depressed and gloomy society where alcoholism became very prominent.

I remember as a beach blonde little girl I was quite the dreamer and walked for kilometers and kilometers around the old living room table dreaming up stories and drawing hundreds of pictures of beautiful and happy fairies and princesses, which would take me away from the darkness that was all around me. I began to draw at age 5 together with my sister Jhanna. We would make up our own storybooks and illustrate them together. In elementary and middle school I was placed in an art program for gifted young people.

After high school I attended Grodno University in Belarus (400 miles from Chernobyl) where, amongst other things, I got a degree in art that would allow me to teach art in the public school system. My sister also became an art teacher graduating from Vitebsk School of Art.

Unfortunately, after Chernobyl (75% of the radioactive fallout landed in Belarus) my sister did not heed the warnings issued by the government to avoid certain things and 5 years later when her son Evgeniy was only 2 years old she was diagnosed with Stage-4 Ovarian Cancer. At that time she was living in Moscow and teaching art in a local public school. She lived for 5 years, which was a miracle for a stage-4 cancer patient. Years have passed since she passed away but my heart still aches. I have found peace from being a Christian and this is reflected in a number of my works of art.

Currently I live with my husband Bill and our two daughters Marianna and Elizabeth in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina.

In my artwork you will see a variety of mediums although a combination of acrylic and oil pastel is my favorite.

Painting is my creative outlet, my dreamy place where there are no limits to my restless imagination.

I am constantly exploring new mediums for my work and continue to experiment with new techniques along with welcoming new challenges and directions for my art.

I create “sunny”, soul uplifting art because there is enough darkness in this world. As you can see, I do love color. I also like to incorporate inspirational themes in my paintings.

I wish for you a rich life full of love, joy and peace.

– Lana

Comments on Complete Artist’s Bio

Beatriz Lopez-Freking @
8:13 pm

I was in art school and even taught art at a high school level. With the start of a family the art went on hold but now with the children getting more independent I have started to paint again. I have lost my touch but it is coming back quickly. I have seen pictures of your family on Facebook. I am so happy for you.

Thanks for sharing you biography. It is very inspiring that you choose to focus on God and spirituality when our world is constantly distracted, allowing the darkness to overpower them. Always keep the focus on light and God. This is evident in your artwork. Thanks for giving everyone around you a glimpse of the peace that they can have in their lives if they just focus on God and His Light.

Thank-you for writing such a wonderful bio. I have met many wonderful people who grew up in Communist USSR. The exercise of communism seems to fly in the face of what the Bible says that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully” made. We all have our own personalities and we cannot be stuffed into the same mold with everyone else. The Russian friends I have had here in the USA get very upset with US citizens who take their freedoms and the price of those freedoms too lightly, and, so do I.

I love your art and the light of your faith that shines through them. If you are ever in the Daytona Beach are, look me up. I would love to meet you!

Now, I just get busy and get done that which I have put off too long…..getting my own Blog done!